Expert Says Pa. Slots Revenue Has Eclipsed NJ
HARRISBURG (CBS) – The Latest figures show Pennsylvania and New Jersey casinos running neck-and-neck in slots revenues, but one gaming expert believes the Keystone state has already taken the lead.
New Jersey had $2.48 billion in slots revenues in 2010, while Pennsylvania had $2.27 billion. But Shawn McCloud, Director of Analysis for Spectrum Gaming says Pennsylvania's numbers are understated by comparison, because New Jersey includes promotions offered by casinos in their figures.
McCloud says, "And if you look on a volume basis – trying to net out those accounting differences – in reality the Pennsylvania casinos are generating more volume than the casinos in Atlantic City right now."
A year-to-year table games comparison is invalid because Pennsylvania did not have table games until July. Slots revenues in Pennsylvania were up almost 16-percent year-to-year, while New Jersey's were down 9-percent. Overall New Jersey casino revenue was down 9.6 percent.
Reported by Tony Romeo, KYW Newsradio
